Kermit Staggers signing the snowgates petition at tonight’s meeting.
The city is already starting to put up ‘roadblocks’ or should I say ‘snowgates’. The mayor claims he will get snowgates implemented (even though he needs council approval). The city clerk thinks there will be no challengers in the school board election, so no need for an election (even though I have had four names given to me of people that are possibly running). The city attorney also wants to take a peek at the initiative language. Go for it! Former AG Mark Meierhenry helped edit the initiative language (not Pro-Bono), I would put Mark’s expertise of state law up against David Fiddle-Faddle any day of the week.
Stehly told me that 30 volunteers attended the meeting tonight, and many stepped up to help out in other ways.
I can’t wait to sign the petition. Hopefully I can sign it next Tuesday at the council meeting (or before). After talking to a few councilors and others, I’m confident my suspicion and the assertions of L3wis are absolutely correct. Snowgates will not be passed by this council. I see 2 votes MAYBE 3 as L3wis has stated. The possible amendment to put them on city wide this year for testing appears like it doesn’t even have a chance. Public works doesn’t want them, apparently because its a. more work for them and b. they already don’t have enough money (they had to come get more money late in the last budget year). This will cost more and they’ll have to find the money somewhere and the council probably won’t appropriate enough money for it (they’d probably rather use it for a water fountain). So we’re going to have to force it via initiative.
Perhaps what I’m most amazed by is how dumb this is politically for the majority of the council. Whether you agree with it or not, the PERCEPTION many times is the council is beholden to powerful groups/individuals with money and out of touch with the ‘regular’ folks. What better way to balance your votes/appropriations for things that some perceive only benefiting narrow groups and/or well connected people than by championing something that will benefit everyone, especially those without the connections or money to get special treatment? And, anyone with a pulse realizes if this gets on the ballot it will pass. Its inconceivable that it won’t. The motivated will be those who want it, those who don’t care just won’t show up. It’s going to pass. Why not get out ahead of it and do it first as a council and take credit for it instead of refusing to do it and having the people force you to do it?
As an aside, this petition drive is a great reason to support a amendment to the budget to test them city wide, the more data the better for citizens to have when making an informed vote. I do think though regardless of how the test goes they’d never get approved by this council, at least as long as public works are so down on them.
Before this is over…..
each Councilor’s position on this “Quality of Life” issue will be known to the public.
Let’s see….
who will be up for re-election in 2014:
Sue Aguilar, Southeast District
Michelle Erpenbach, Central District
Jim Entenman, At-Large
Rex Rolfing, At-Large
AND also, of course, our Mayor, Mike Huether.
I have heard that Aguilar, Entenman, and possibly Rolfing will not be running again.
I hope you are correct.